VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Most Rev. Joseph D’Souza, moderating bishop of the Good Shepherd Church of India and president of the All India Christian Council, releases the following statement in response to the terror attack on New Zealand mosques Friday:

“Our hearts are with the Muslim community in New Zealand after this heinous attack on the Masjid Al Noor and Linwood mosques. We applaud the prime minister’s right decision to quickly condemn the attack. This is the latest reminder that our world has descended into a social media-fueled decadence that consumes the political and religious class. That this kind of violence could happen in a peaceful country like New Zealand exposes the great danger all nations face when religious extremists or extreme nationalists take advantage of platforms like social media to propagate their twisted, hate-filled philosophies and call for violence to be unleashed on innocent people like those in Christchurch Friday. Our words and tweets and Facebook posts have an impact on vulnerable minds. We must remember that we reap what we sow. This attack is a reminder that the world is in dire need of peacemakers, who will sow peace and fiercely push back against the evil that aims to suppress the fundamental right of every human being to practice his or her religion as they would choose.”

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You can reach Bishop D’Souza via email or phone (moderator@gsoim.org; 770.329.5156)

Photos of Bishop D’Souza are available here.

Most Rev. Joseph D’Souza is widely considered one of the most influential voices of global Christianity. He is a justice and peace campaigner, civil rights advocate, interfaith peacemaker and Christian theologian.

Rev. D’Souza is a founding member of the Congress of Christian Leaders, an association of churches that provides a representative voice for its members and members’ organizations with a reasoned approach that is unifying, missional, objective, nonpartisan, global and biblical. The Chairman of the Congress is Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, and the president is Rev. Johnnie Moore. 

Rev. D’Souza presides as moderator bishop and primate — or archbishop — over the Good Shepherd Church of India. He is a sought-after international speaker, participating in conferences, peace summits and civil society forums across the world and debriefing governmental bodies on religious freedom and human rights issues. He is a contributor at The Hill, The Washington Times and Newsmax, among others.